#komotini

Travel Greece 03 / Gümülcine - Komotini:

Makri'den Gümülcine'ye otobandan yaklaşık 45 km. / 40 dakikalık araç yolculuğundan sonra ulaştık. Öğle saatleri şehre girer girmez siesta sessizliğine biz de dahil oluyoruz. 

Gümülcine, 1361 yılında Osmanlı toprağı haline gelir, 1913 yılında Bükreş Antlaşması ile Bulgaristan'a bırakılır, 1920 yılında imzalanan San Remo Antlaşması ile de Yunanistan'a bağlanır. Batı Trakya'da Yunanistan'ın Rodop ilinin merkezidir. 65.000 civarındaki nüfusun %40'ı Türklerden oluşur.

Κι αν ο σημερινός εαυτός μου, ελεγε στον τοτε όλα όσα έγιναν σε αυτά τα 2 χρόνια, δεν θα τα πιστευε ούτε μία στο εκατομμύριο. Κι ας ηταν πιο όμορφα από όσα έζησα εκει. Κι ας ηταν πιο επίπονα και άσχημα από όσα έζησα εκεί.

Πάντα θα μου λείπει και Πάντα θα γυρίζω εκει, ψάχνοντας κατι να μπορεί να με κρατήσει σε εκεινη την πόλη.

A Turkish Cypriot woman sang in Κομοτηνή a song about the Smyrna catastrophe... :/

A few months passed since this happened. I am sorry I couldn't reply earlier. I am not easily heated when it comes to such issues but on Greek ground, one singing a happy marching song on how their people took Smyrna, is objectively quite offensive.

Cause they didn't just "take Smyrna". They caused one of the most known massacres and destruction of cities of the early 20th century which was documented in real-time on the shores, and it was also the height of the Christian years-long genocide (Greeks, Assyrians, Armenians) they did, a genocide so cruel to the point Hitler himself was inspired by it.

The festivity was done based also on Greek funders. Out of respect to the Greek funders and the Greek town they were in, the whole production ought to stop this. There are many ways to foster community among the Turks of Komotini, and ways that are way much better than that.

Gold bust of Emperor Septimius Severus (r. 193-211 CE), discovered in Plotinopolis, Greece.

There are only two Roman period gold busts in the world: this, and a modified bust in Switzerland (not open to the public). The above bust was used to top a standard bearer.

Η καλή ζωή μου έκανε μάτια γλυκά.